FOXBORO — Care to tee it up and kick off the NFL season right now? Nick Caserio would be willing to take his chances with the team in Foxboro.

"If you look at our team, just where we are today, if we had to go out there and play a game, we feel we could field a competitive team," the Patriots director of player personnel said at his recent predraft press conference. "You try to find players that you feel fit best for your team, regardless of their position."

That will be the Patriots' aim when the NFL draft begins Thursday night at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

The Patriots have eight picks — one each in the first (29th overall), second, third and seventh rounds, two in both the fourth and sixth rounds. Their fifth-round pick was dealt to Philadelphia last October for defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga and a sixth-round choice. The additional fourth-round choice is a compensatory pick awarded by the league for the free-agent losses suffered a year ago when wide receiver Wes Welker led the list of players who left town.

"We've hopefully put the work in and prepared and have the evaluations correct," said Caserio.

Don't let the last season's 12-4 regular-season record and third straight trip to the AFC Championship Game deceive you. This is a team with numerous needs.

As injury prone as he is talented, Rob Gronkowski's presence — or, more accurately, his frequent absences — create a major need at tight end.

The age and injury concerns that Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly bring speak of a 300-something-pound need for another talented wide body on the inside of the defensive line. With the lack of depth behind Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, a "Help Wanted" sign has also been posted on the outside.

And Monday's signing of veteran defensive end Will Smith isn't necessarily the answer. He's a veteran of 10 seasons in New Orleans but turns 33 in July and missed all of last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

With the release of safety Steve Gregory, do the Patriots have enough faith in 2013 third-round pick Duron Harmon to turn the position over to him and put him alongside Devin McCourty?

At running back, LeGarrette Blount departed for Pittsburgh as a free agent, leaving the three leading backs (Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden.

The starting linebacker corps could be OK with Jamie Collins joining Dont'a Hightower and Jerod Mayo, but the departures of Brandon Spikes (Buffalo) and Dane Fletcher (Tampa Bay) have created an issue with depth.

The Patriots haven't drafted an offensive lineman since they doubled up with Tom Brady's left tackle, Nate Solder (in the first round), and Marcus Cannon (fifth) in 2011.

And at some point the organization has to lay down a play for life after Brady because Ryan Mallett's done nothing to show he's their quarterback of the future.

While admitting the recent draft investments in a specific position might impact its approach this week, Caserio said it wouldn't prevent the Patriots from utilizing a pick on that spot if they felt the player's talent justified it.

Last year, the Patriots devoted second- and fourth-round choices (Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce) to the position and added Kenbrell Thompkins, who made the team as a rookie free agent.

"You never want to pass up a player," said Caserio. "Look, if they are equal value, maybe you go to a different position, but if there is a good football player and he's head and shoulders above the rest, then internally we have to make that decision. You don't want to pass on a player just because he has a position where there might be numbers."